D.O.G. Chapter Twenty-Seven - Finale

D.O.G. Chapter Twenty-Seven - Finale

Chapter Twenty-Seven

One month later – December

Ana made her way down one of the hallways of St. Peter’s hospital. Her hair was pulled back in ponytail that had been forced through the part of her hair, giving it a slight, elegant twist. She wore a khaki skirt and a rich brown sweater. Her legs clad in a pair of short heels and leggings to stave out the cold. In her left hand, she carried her jacket and scarf and a bouquet of flowers.

The hospital was warm though, compared to outside. The snow had been piling up from the recent storm and the temperature had dropped surprisingly.

Listening to the soft tap of her heels on the linoleum, Ana came to a stop at one room and gently knocked on the door. There came no answer from within, so she gently opened the already cracked door and step slowly in.

Jason’s mother had been fighting with Aids since she had met Jason. Now, the woman looked pale and worn out where she lay in her head. Jason had told her before that his mother was once a vibrant woman. She loved parties and most importantly, she loved her kids. Her babies. Jason had said that when he came out to his mother, she had not been angry at all, or upset with him. She had understood him and she loved him for who he was.

She was a beautiful woman.

Ana had made the decision to come see her once Rodrigo had explained to her just what the tests at the lab meant. She had brought Janus back to life. She had healed him. She wondered now if she could do the same thing here.

She had never known her parents and the ones she had were already gone as well. She couldn’t save them. But perhaps she could save Jason and his sisters from the pain.

She set the flowers on the desk and her jacket and scarf on a chair before she went to the woman’s side and softly took her hand as she slept.

Instantly, she could feel the heart beating in her own body as well as in the woman who lay in the bed. It was just like that day in the apartment. She had felt Reith’s life in her hands, though how, she couldn’t explain it.

Shutting her eyes, Ana focused and willed her own life into the woman. The energy flowing between them until she furrowed her brow, finding the infection in this woman’s body and blood. Ana’s eyes began to glow and she forced herself against this invisible enemy until it vanished. But it had to go somewhere and she felt a stab at her heart as something seemed to enter her own body.

Shivering, she gripped onto the rail of the bed and let the sickness ride her until the disease found her too strong to penetrate and vanished into the air once more, leaving her.

Sighing softly, she opened her eyes to look to the woman and her color had returned. Her breathing less shallow than before. Slowly, the blonde woman let her blue eyes drift open and she turned her head as if to look to someone, but no one stood there. Only a bouquet of flowers sat to show that someone had been by recently.

She sat up in bed slowly, a hand going to her chest as she studied herself in silence. Then, she reached over and took the card from the flowers and read it.

“’For I will restore health to thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord…’”

She smiled softly to herself at the words. It was the first time she had felt good in years…




Ana headed outside the building, tugging her jacket over her shoulders as she walked then smiled as she saw Haydren waiting for her at the bottom of the steps, his back resting on a large stone column. She walked down to meet him, smiling to herself.

“Hey.” He greeted her with a grin and hugged her to him. “Jameson called. They still haven’t found Nie.”

Ana nodded slowly to that as they stood there off to the side from the stairs. “Are you going to go on another mission now?”

Haydren softly sighed. “Yes. I have to. I found what I was looking for. Pytor’s weapon.” He smiled and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Jameson wants you to go with me though for this one.”

“What?” Ana blinked at that and he gave a small smile down at her shocked expression.

“Jameson thinks your ready for it. She says you’ve been doing really well with your training. You’re a lot more advanced than she likes to admit.” He shrugged softly. “What do you say? I’ll be with you the whole way…”

Ana thought for a moment as she put her scarf around her neck then moved her fingers along his as if to straighten it before pulling him down closer. “Okay. I’ll do it, but I’m not making any promises. I might be horrible out on a real mission…”

“You’ll do fine. It’s just undercover stuff.” He whispered and let her pull him close before he bent lower and softly kissed her. “You just couldn’t let me go, huh?” He grinned proudly.

“What do you mean?” Ana laughed lightly, kissing him back softly before pulling back a little.

“Did you really join N-18 just because you thought it was a good idea, or just so you could be closer to me?”

“Haydren…?”

Haydren perked a brow at her. “Yeah?”

“What was on that disk? The one that Jaylyn took off the counter.”

“It’s nothing to worry about. I destroyed it.” He shook his head.

“But what was on it…?” She asked him curiously and he smiled.

“It was about me. About my past. Where I came from, who my parents were, but that doesn’t matter anymore.” He kissed her again softly. “Now, answer my question. What’s the real reason you joined N-18?”

Ana thought for a moment, blushing softly then lifted her eyes to him once more. “I didn’t want to say goodbye, yet, Haydren…I love you…”

His grin widened and he kissed her again, this time deeper as he picked her up off her feet and held her tight. She squirmed and laughed in protest and he let her down after a moment back on her feet. “I love you, too, Ana…”

He took her hand and led her off down the street as they walked side by side, but paused as the phone in his pocket rang. He didn’t answer it for now, merely pulled Ana against him, his arm around her shoulder.

Ana smiled to herself brightly.

My name is Ana Maria Tristanval. I am a member of an underground organization known only as N-18. We work undercover to protect the public. Our main targets are overzealous companies and scientists searching for cures to stop death from touching us. Nanites will not make you live forever, but they will make you live a lot longer. And we use that time devoting ourselves to the greater good.

All things must come to pass. Humans have to keep that in mind. Life is lived for the moment, and we cannot have a moment last forever.

I have chosen to follow this path, not only because I love Haydren, but because I have to compensate for the sins of my father. I was given life through a means that was not normal, and I can give and take life away.

I will use this power to keep those I love safe for now. And I will use it to help where I can.

This is where I belong now; I realize that. For so long, things didn’t feel right in my life, and now, everything seems to make sense.

I don’t think my life would be the same if Haydren had not shown up on my doorstep and pointed me down this path. I’m so glad he did.

And now, I don’t think I ever want to imagine him not being in my life. What else can I say…

I always did like dogs.